Purse with removable flap and method

ABSTRACT

There is provided a purse with a removable flap and method for using such purse. A receptacle having an opening wherein objects may be placed in and removed from the receptacle is provided. A flap is provided having a portion adapted to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening. A fastener is provided having a first fastener member and a second fastener member with the first fastener member located on the flap and the second fastener member located on the receptacle. The fastener is constructed so as to permit the flap to be readily detached from the receptacle and readily re-attached to the receptacle.

RELATIONSHIP TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This is a U.S. non-provisional application relating to and claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/931,307 filed May 21, 2007.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to purses. More particularly, it relates to purses having interchangeable parts to give the purses different looks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one form of this invention there is provided a purse, including a receptacle having an interior panel and a posterior panel. A receptacle opening is provided between the interior and the posterior panels for enabling the placement and withdrawal of objects into and from the receptacle. A flap is provided having a portion adapted to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening. A fastener is provided having a first fastener member and a second fastener member. The first fastener member is located on the flap. The second fastener member is located on or near the posterior panel. The fastener removably secures the flap to the receptacle, whereby the flap may be readily removed from the receptacle by unfastening the fastener so that the flap may be replaced.

In another form of this invention there is provided a purse, including a receptacle having a receptacle opening where an object may be placed in and removed from the receptacle. A flap is provided having a portion adapted to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening. A fastener is provided having a first fastener member and a second fastener member with the first fastener member located on the flap. The second fastener member is located on the receptacle. The fastener is constructed so as to permit the flap to be readily detached from the receptacle and readily reattached to the receptacle.

In accordance with another form of this invention there is provided a method for replacing one flap for another flap on a purse which includes a receptacle having a receptacle opening. Each flap has a portion adapted to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening. A fastener is provided having a first fastener member located on or near the top edge of the flap. The receptacle includes an interior panel, a posterior panel, and a rear pocket panel. The second fastener member is located on the posterior panel or the rear pocket panel. The posterior panel and the rear pocket panel are attached to one another forming a pocket. The second fastener member is located within the pocket, the method comprising: detaching the one flap from the receptacle by disconnecting its first fastener member from the second fastener member; attaching the other flap to the receptacle by connecting its first fastener member to the second fastener member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an anterior elevational view of a purse according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, generally right-hand perspective view of the purse shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary posterior elevational view of the purse shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail from the view shown in FIG. 3, with the rear pocket panel of the purse cut away to show the hook strip of a hook-and-loop fastener thereunder; and

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the removable flap of the purse shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A purse according to an embodiment of the invention is shown broadly in FIG. 1 at reference numeral 10. The purse 10 includes a receptacle 11 having an anterior panel 12, two opposing side panels 13, and a posterior panel 14 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Receptacle 11 includes a top opening wherein objects may be placed in and removed from receptacle 11. A carrying strap 15 is attached by its opposing ends 20 to the opposing side panels 13 of the purse 10 in a manner known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A rear pocket panel 21 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is attached to the posterior panel 14 to define a pocket 16. Rear pocket panel 21 may be regarded as a part of receptacle 11. The rear pocket panel 21 comprises top, bottom, left, and right edge portions 22, 23, 24, 25, and the bottom, left, and right edge portions 23, 24, 25 of the rear pocket panel 21 are attached to corresponding edge portions of the posterior panel 14. The top edge portion 22 of the rear pocket panel 21 is not attached to the posterior panel 14. Instead, the posterior panel 14 and the top edge portion 22 of the rear pocket panel 21 cooperate to define an opening into the pocket 16.

A flap 30 extends from the posterior panel 14 over the receptacle 11, so that at least a portion of the flap covers at least a portion of the opening of receptacle 11. The flap 30 comprises an outer panel 31 attached to an inner panel 32. The outer and inner panels 31, 32 have substantially identical dimensions and thereby cooperate to give the flap 30 a unitary form, as shown particularly in FIG. 5.

The inner panel 32 of the flap 30 includes first and second opposing edge portions 40, 41. The first opposing edge portion 40 engages the anterior panel 12 of the receptacle 11 when the flap 30 is in a closed position. The second opposing edge portion 41 engages the posterior panel 14 of the receptacle 11. A fastener is provided in the form of first fastener member or connector 42 and second fastener member or connector 43. Preferably, the first fastener member is a loop strip 42 (FIG. 5) of a hook-and-loop fastener attached to the second opposing edge portion 41 of the inner panel 32 of the flap. Preferably the second fastener member is a corresponding hook strip 43 (FIG. 4) of the hook-and-loop fastener attached to the posterior panel 14 of the receptacle 11 under the rear pocket panel 21 of the purse 10. Alternatively, the first fastener member 42 could be a hook strip, and the second fastener member could be a loop strip. The rear pocket panel 21 therefore at least partially obscures the fastened hook-and-loop fastener from view so long as one does not look into the pocket 16. The flap 30 may therefore be readily repeatedly removed and reattached to the receptacle 11 by selectably engaging and disengaging the loop and hook strips 42, 43 of the hook-and-loop fastener relative to one another, i.e. the fastener is fastened and unfastened. Alternatively, the second fastener member 43 may be attached to or located on the inside of the rear pocket panel 21 in which case the first fastener member 42 should be attached to or located on the outer panel 31 of flap 30. The flap 30 is removably received on receptacle 11.

An additional fastener, which preferably is a male-female fastener, is preferably provided and having a first additional fastener member 33 and a second additional fastener member 35. Preferably, the first additional fastener member is a male portion 33 of the male-female fastener such as a snap 34 attached to the inner panel 32 of the flap 30 to mate with a corresponding female portion 35 (the second additional fastener member) of the snap 34 attached to the anterior panel 12 of the receptacle 11. The first additional fastener is located on flap 30 remote from the first fastener. Substitute flaps (not shown) bearing a loop strip similar to the loop strip 42 on the illustrated flap 30 may be substituted for the flap 30. Such substitute flaps may be comprised of different fabrics and/or bear different designs than the flap 30, thereby enabling a user to customize the appearance of the purse 10. For instance, with a receptacle of neutral design and color, the user may select and attach any one of a voluminous number of possible substitute flaps in order, for instance, to achieve a desirable match between the appearance of the purse and the appearance of apparel worn by the user. In addition, the outer and inner panels 31, 32 of the flap 30 may be comprised of different fabrics, thereby enabling further customization by the user.

One flap may be replaced for another flap on the purse of the subject invention as follows: Detaching the one flap 30 from the receptacle 11 by disconnecting its first fastener member 42 from the second fastener member 43, and attaching another flap 30 to the receptacle 11 by connecting its first fastener member 42 to the second fastener member 43.

The components of the purse of the invention may be shaped and configured differently from the components of the illustrated purse 10 without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, the removable flap 30 and the purse receptacle 11 may be removably attached to one another with fasteners other than the illustrated hook-and-loop fastener. For instance, one or more snaps, buckles, latches, or clasps may be used instead of the hook-and-loop fastener.

A purse with a removable flap is described above. Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of an embodiment of the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation-the invention being defined by the claims. 

1. A purse comprising: a receptacle having an anterior panel and a posterior panel; a receptacle opening between the anterior panel and the posterior panel for enabling the placement and withdrawal of objects into and from the receptacle; a flap; a portion of the flap adapted to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening; a fastener including a first fastener member and a second fastener member; the first fastener member located on the flap; the second fastener member located on or near the posterior panel; the fastener removably securing the flap to the receptacle whereby the flap can be readily removed from the receptacle by unfastening the fastener so that the flap may be replaced.
 2. A purse as set forth in claim 1 further including a rear pocket panel attached to the posterior panel forming a pocket; the rear pocket panel having a top edge; a pocket opening formed between the top edge and the posterior panel; the second fastener received within the pocket whereby the fastener is at least partially obscured from view.
 3. A purse as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fastener is a hook and loop connector; one of the first or second fastener members is a hook connector and the other of the first or second fastener members is a loop connector.
 4. A purse as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second fastener member is located on the posterior panel.
 5. A purse as set forth in claim 2 wherein the second fastener member is located on the rear pocket panel.
 6. A purse as set forth in claim 1 wherein the flap has first and second opposing edges; the first fastener member is elongated strip extending along the first edge of the flap.
 7. A purse as set forth in claim 6 wherein the second fastener member is an elongated strip.
 8. A purse as set forth in claim 1 wherein the flap has first and second opposing edges, an additional fastener having a first additional fastener member, and a second additional fastener member; the first additional fastener member located on the flap remote from the first fastener; the second additional fastener member located on the anterior panel.
 9. A purse comprising: a receptacle; a receptacle opening wherein objects may be placed in and removed from the receptacle; a flap; a portion of the flap adapted to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening; a fastener having a first fastener and a second fastener member; the first fastener member located on the flap; the second fastener member located on the receptacle; the fastener constructed so as to permit the flap to be readily detached from the receptacle and readily re-attached to the receptacle.
 10. A purse as set forth in claim 9 wherein the receptacle includes a rear pocket panel attached to the posterior panel; the rear pocket panel having a top edge which is not attached to the posterior panel thereby forming the pocket; the flap having a top edge; the first fastener member located on or near the top edge; the second fastener member located in the pocket wherein the fastener is at least partially obscured from view.
 11. A method for replacing one flap for another flap on a purse which includes a receptacle having a receptacle opening, each flap having a portion adapted to cover at least a portion of the receptacle opening; a fastener having a first fastener member located on or near the top edge of each flap, the receptacle having an anterior panel, a posterior panel and a rear pocket panel; the second fastener member located on the posterior panel or the rear pocket panel; the posterior panel and the rear pocket panel attached to one another forming a pocket; the second fastener member located within the pocket, comprising: detaching the one flap from the receptacle by disconnecting its first fastener member from the second fastener member; attaching another flap to the receptacle by connecting its first fastener member to the second fastener member. 